Messages - Specks

I'm taking the Cal bar in February and I was wondering if I should get a tutor on top of the Kaplan bar review course I'm taking. It seems prudent given the incredibly high fail rate of the bar. Also, if I do, anybody got suggestions or ideas on how to find one? Thanks!

What do you mean by you wrote it later than your classmates? If it was just a couple days or something, it is still curved. As for the law, you always get a point or two for the law, but missing a single issues isn't gonna kill you. If it did, you'd have a whole lot more failed law students crying into their tea.

Do you have more exams coming up? If you do, I'd worry about those, if you don't I'd take a vacation from law school, by which I mean step away from the books and the people, and go do something having nothing to do with the law. Best way to relieve stress. Keep us updated on how it goes

I wouldn't stress too much about it. Remember, this stuff is graded on a curve so it depends entirely on how well everyone else did. Granted, a 20 min analysis is not as good, but you certainly won't be failed because you had to rush one of the essays. The 35% of the grade is all relative to how you did and how everyone else did. My 1L year, I walked out of contracts convinced I'd failed it because I never got to half the issues I spotted. Turned out I got a B+ (would sound so much better if I'd said "A" but I'm trying to be truthful and all that ). Also, just a quick note, and speaking from experience: don't go around talking to your fellow classmates about what they wrote on the exam. That just creates needless anxiety and will mess you up for your following exams. Good luck!

Barbri is stupid. I'm taking it right now and their way of teaching totally didn't work for me. Finally just hunkered down and outlined my own crap. The only lecture worth anything was by Chimerinsky on Con Law and I don't credit Barbri for him being a great lecturer.

Hanging your own shingle? Unless you're willing to work harder there than you will in Officer Training School (or Candidate School, depending upon the service), no.

If "no" is a bit too brusque (as I've been guilty of), read Lund's first two Jagged Rocks of Wisdom books. Substitute "client" for "partner." If you're still inclined in that direction, that's a good sign.

Heh. Thanks for the heads up Thane. I'll have to check that book out. I mean, I know hanging your shingle is no walk in the park and I certainly expect to work much harder than I would even at big law. The thing is, I'm currently running my own LSAT tutoring service right, and I find it really fun--even the part where you have to go pound the pavement for clients. But you're right, I should be looking into this more deeply before I just leap. Recently bought "Solo By Choice" and I'm planning on actually cracking it in August. Will put your recommendation on the reading list as well.

As to choosing an area of law, not even a 3d-year law student should spend too much time on this. This is hard for pre-law students to fathom, but there are really only two tracks in law school: litigation and transactional . . . and those aren't all that hard-and-fast.

I could recommend a book, but that would be a tad self-interested, yes? = : )

I tried to explain the difference and how most have 1 thought going into law school and an entirely different inclination once they graduate. No dice. Hence the book rec. But now that you mention it, I know the perfect one.

I've noticed a lot of people talking about joining the JAG corp, but does anyone know how that selection process works? I've seriously considered it for a while now and have just been apprehensive about making any sort of commitment/contract. It seems to be getting more of a viable option lately thought. My top 2 choices have always been JAG or hanging my own shingle. The only thing that trips me up is that I'm really not that patriotic. I mean, I like this country just fine, but I'm not above seriously critiquing a lot of our policies. I worry that this sort of attitude will kill me during the interview process. Thoughts?

Also, not exactly on topic but still about employment: Does anyone know a good book that helps people choose their field of law? I have an LSAT student I'm teaching that asked and I have no idea what to say to her.

To help improve speed, consider crossing out the lines that repeat in RC answers. For example, if you have four answers and they all start out with, B is a Native American blah blah blah, and then goes into the differences, straight up cross out the extra. Its extra reading you do every single time you read an answer and it slows down your ability to differentiate among the answers. Also, things between commas can pretty much be skipped in the actual passage. Example: Helen Keller, a blind girl, said blah blah blah. "a blind girl" is like a side note and can totes be skimmed if not skipped altogether.

I'd get a hold of the Kaplan mastery books if you can in addition to the powerscore bibles. The bibles are awesome, but I think the Kaplan books are helpful for target practicing. RC has changed a bit since 2007, so you might want to spread them out. Not as many tests with the new format though it really does apply the same logic.